Improvement in the construction of trains or fuses



E. GOMEZ; CONSTRUCTION 0I" TRAINS 0R FUSES.

Patented Jan. 7, 1862.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OEEieE.

EDVIN GOMEZ, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

HVIPROVEMENT' IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRAINS'OR FUSES.

`Specification forming part of Leiters Patent' No. 34,057, dated January l7:',v'1'rl-J.

I To LZZ whoml tm/uy concern..-

Be it known that I, EDWIN GOMEZ, of the city and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Tra-ins or Safety-F uses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exaetdeseription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this speeiiieation, wherein- Figures l, 2,'-and l represent the various ways inwhieh the parts composing my safetyl'use may be combined, and Figs. 4 and illustrate the mod in which the lengthsoifl'use are to be connected and exploded.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts: 4

-fly present invention relates to improve' ments upon and the details connected with the lnanufaetureef safety-fuses; and I would here make reference to Letters Iatent granted September l5, 1857, to Edwin Gomez and \`Vill iam Mills, as set-ting forth an explosive compound adapted to fuses and safetytrains, and which compound I make use of in the fuse herein set forth; and, also, I would refer to Letters Patent granted to me August 9, 1859, for means for folding a wrapping-paper, said means being usedrfor folding` a strip ot' paper ine'los'ing the said explosive compound.

The nature of my said invention consists in the forming of safety `fuses or trains in the form of anat-tened strip or tape; also, in the inanner 'of' strengthening and protecting the said talpefuse bythe introduction of longitudinal,"

strings. or cords and a serving or binding snrrounding the same to keep the fuse and cords together; and for the purpose of .rendering the fuse water-proof I apply a thin coating or covering of guttapereha.

In order tov connect the lengths of fuse to each other, or to nia-ke severalbranches from one main line', I'notch or lap the fuse i'nsuoh a manner that the powder containedtherein shallvcome sufficiently in contact to insure an'. explosion.

In order that the general'character of `4my safety-fuse may be 4fully understood andthe application thereof become easy, I remark that. theaforesaid-patented compositionpis of that' instantaneousexplosive character that I have practically demonstratedthat a mile of said fuse will explode in four seconds of time, and

that the `flame travels someA Adistance beyond the powdcr,so that the fuse will be operative even it' breaks exist in the powder.

-In .the drawings, a is a strip of paper, folded up and containing the explosive compound,

and this stripis to be compressed, so as to form the fuse' into a tape or ribbon shape. This fuse requires to be strengthened and stiil' cned, in order that the paper may not become loose and open, whereby' the powder would shake together, instead ot' remaining in a-unii'orin and even layer throughout the; fuse. I

therefore apply a binding or serving of string gnttapercha or the serving b, with suitable" varnish, may be all that is required; but, in

order to prevent the fuse breaking, particu-4 cularly whensuspended or when placedin.

rivers .or streams, or otherwise yexposed to tension,I make use of oneor more cords or strings@ d, runninglongitudinally of the fuse,- asjseen iii-Figs.' 1,'2, and 3, and theserving b may be outside and inclosing the strings d, as in Figsxl and 3, or inclosedin and -held by the gutta=percha envelope c, as in Fig. 2.-

I .The fuse maybe varnished, as at e, Fig. 1,. or wrapped'wit-h abraided cover, as atj',Figs.

1 and 2, or both, the covering f, Fig. 2, being over the gntta-`percha c, and may be coated with eoalatar or other material, thereby rendering the same cspeciallyjadapted to submarine uses. A

The mode of connecting lengths of this fuse or'making'branches from the same as required in blastingseveral charges simultaneonslywill be seen by Fig. 5. In this gure I have` representeda lap or's'plice at g. ln this easel cut the fuse at the. ends, and place the ends together, as shown, simply binding the parts around tokeep them together, ,andthe eXplosion will pass" this joint wit-h nnerring een' tainty.

By the use of a punch to eut onta notch or hole, as seen 'at/13 a', Fig. 5, the branch .lines of fuse may .be connected to the main line by slipping notches into ea-ch other und tying them together, as seen at h, Fig. 5. The same mode of connection might be used in the general line of fuse.

Fine copper or other Wires might be substituted for the springs d d, and inelosed, as specied..

To explode the fuse and avoid/the costof considerable lengths, as would be required inl blasting, I pcrforute the tzt-pe fuse by a cutter or punch, as at k, and introduce an ordinary slow-match, the lengthv of the same from theV fuse regulating the time occupied in burning before theinstantaneous explosion' of the entire train through the agency' of my fuse.

Whitt I claim, and desire to secure by Let- 'ers Patent, isv

1. A iiut or tape fuse formed. of an explo- .sive compound inclosed in svt-strip of folded paper protected by a winding of string in an envelope of guttzt-percha or other suitable inaterial. v

2. The longitudinal strings or cords d d, in combination with the said flattened or tape fuse, in the manner and forthe purposes specied. f 4

. 3. The inanner herein set forth of uniting lengths or sections of tape fuse by the notching or lapping, as specified. l 4.

In Witness whereof I vhave hereunto set my signature this 26th day of August, 1861.

EDWIN GOMEZ.

Witnesses:

E. H. BRQWN, LEMUEL W. SERRELL 

